Are you coming back?
by dollopheaddemigodonanadventure
Summary: A multitude of chapters mostly from Reyna's perspective about Jason's return to Camp Jupiter. Lots of Jeyna fluff. Reyna and Jason reflect on shared memories. This is also my first fanfic. Ever. So please comment and share your thoughts! Feedback is always appreciated :)
1. Chapter 1

He steps off the ship, and he looks so cool and collected, just the way he did when he addressed the Senate. He's donned his purple cloak, so maybe he hasn't forgotten this life. She believes that he hasn't, after all Percy still remembered his girlfriend.

"Jason Grace, my former colleague. I welcome you home. And these, your friends…"

But before she can finish, she feels the energy shift. The blond rushes to Percy and kisses him, then judo flips him. "If you ever leave me again, I swear to all the Gods!" she snarls.

"Ugh, yea it's good to be back," Jason comments. He introduces Piper and Leo, a little elfish boy who flashes a peace sign. "Annabeth doesn't normally judo-flip people," he says motioning at the blond girl holding Percy.

Reyna smirks, "Are you sure you're not an Amazon, Annabeth, or a Roman?" she asks.

"I only attack my boyfriend," Annabeth responds.

And Reyna turns back to the others who came off the ship, albeit reluctantly. She spent 8 months waiting for this moment, planning every detail, but now that it was here, she was terrified. What if….

She could feel the Romans watching them. She supposed that by this time they had all come to understand the way she felt about Jason, given the fact they did most things together. They were just waiting to see what she would do.

She could feel her heartbeat racing, every impulse in her body pushing her to reach out and touch him. She didn't need a kiss, just a sign of recognition. That he remembered her, how he felt about her. Unless she had read that wrong too…

But right now, she needed to put diplomacy ahead of her personal feelings. Duty first, and all. "Come we'll dine in the forum tonight. We have much to discuss. Dakota, Bobby, get some legionnaires, and set up a dining pavilion in the forum," she orders.

She turns to say something, and notices that Percy has intertwined his fingers with Annabeth's. And gods, the way he's looking at her… And before she can stop herself, she's lost in a memory.

_"__I'm not sure about Aurum. He's always so stoic and serious. Argentum, on the other hand. There's a puppy. He's always looking for a good time. And he's a little silly." Jason was saying._

_She felt defensive. No matter their differences she loved both her dogs equally. "Well it keeps things interesting. Aurum makes up for Argentum's lack of focus, and Argentum makes up for Aurum's lack of sense of humour. Together they're a complete set. And I think it's really unfair to judge them. They're great companions just the way they are."_

_Jason laughed. "Alright, alright Mama Wolf. I won't talk about your dogs anymore." _

_A moment of silence, and then… "They're a lot like you and me. Me being Argentum that is… since I'm the fun one," Jason teased._

_She rolled her eyes. "Also the silly one, incapable of focusing on the task at hand."_

_Jason half smiled at her. "That's me. And that would make you the stoic, serious one, incapable of having fun."_

_"__Hey!" she protested, and then aimed a punch at his side._

_He caught her fist, and gently, unfolded her fingers. "I also think that we complete each other," he whispered, staring at her fingers. _

_She could feel the blush creeping up the back of her neck. She wanted to pull her hand away, but mostly, she just didn't want him to stop. She was struck by the tenderness and uncertainty in his voice. "Jason…" His blue eyes snapped up to meet hers, and the clarity made her voice stick. He looked so confident, but still so unsure. And the way he was stroking her fingers made her feel like he was sending electricity down her spine. Which, given the fact that his dad was the god of lightning, would not be surprising.__"_

_I know you Reyna, you can trust me," he stated. How did he know what exactly to say to make her fears go away? One of his many talents._

_He didn't let go of her hand, but kept pulling her along the Via Praetoria towards their villas. "One day you'll believe me."_

_She wanted so much to hang on to that moment._

"…letting them into camp?!" Octavian is shouting, pulling her out of her reverie. She realizes the group is staring at her curiously. "Reyna?!" Octavian shouts.

"No, Octavian. I already ordered Dakota and Bobby to set up a dining area in the forum. We'll eat here on neutral ground."

"Oh much better!" Octavian declares in exasperation.

"Octavian, perhaps, as Augur you should make an offering to thank the gods for Jason Grace's safe return," she suggests evenly.

"That's right Octavian, go kill some teddy bears!" Percy teases.

She doesn't know whether to smirk or roll her eyes. This boy was exasperating, but he could put Octavian to his place.

Octavian looks at her with disgust and then runs off to Temple Hill.

She turns back to the group. "Percy, you really shouldn't antagonize Octavian. You're just giving him more fuel."

"Hey, I can't help the sass. Besides someone needs to cut Octavian down to size. You can't let him get away with so much Rey."

She frowns at the nickname, and then she notices Jason staring at Percy curiously, and for a moment she thinks maybe he's remembered the nickname. "You're

the new Praetor? Well then, you by all means, have the authority to tell Octavian to back off."

Her stomach sinks. Openly though, she rolls her eyes. "I wish the legionnaires would elect a more sensible Praetor."

"Hey, that's why we have you right ReyRey," Percy teases.

She stares at him hardly, not liking the nicknames. She notices Annabeth looking between her and Percy. She hopes Percy will settle Annabeth's fears. She doesn't want her thinking that there is any closeness between them. She barely knows the boy. But then Percy steps forward, and drapes his arm around her shoulders. "Come on Reyna cheer up. We just saved the camp from Armageddon, Jason's home, Annabeth's here, Hylla's here, and Frank can turn into an elephant! Everybody's happy!" Percy says joyously.

She pulls away from Percy. "Armageddon hasn't happened yet Percy and actually Hylla left this morning. And, as Praetor, maybe you want to show a bit more decorum?"

Percy just grins at her, then takes Annabeth's hand, pulling her into forum. He begins telling her about New Rome with much enthusiasm, and she notes Annabeth, doesn't look too happy about that.

"Reyna, Hazel and I will go help Dakota and Bobby," Frank said excusing himself. She wants to stop them, but before she can they've both run off.

"So Percy Jackson seems right at home," Jason states.

She smiles. "I think that as long as he has Annabeth, Percy could live on the streets for all he cares."

"Home is after all where the heart is," the girl, Piper, adds looking up and smiling at Jason.

Jason returns her smile, puts his arm around her waist, pulls her close, and kisses her forehead.

Suddenly she feels numb, and her throat feels like it's closing up. This isn't happening. She needs to get out of here.

"Reyna!" Dakota calls, running up to the group. He glances at Jason with his arm around his girlfriend, and frowns in confusion. Before he can say anything, she addresses him, "What is it Dakota? Are the preparations for dinner complete?"

"Mostly," he replies pulling his gaze back to her. "It's just the Arae are a little miffed they have to bring dinner down to the forum. They won't listen to me."

She nods. "Very well, I shall speak with them." Turning back to her guests, she says," Please go into the forum and make yourselves comfortable. I will join you momentarily." She avoids Jason's eyes, if she looks at him she knows she'll fall apart.

She retreats from the group with as much haste as dignity will permit. She knows Dakota will ask some pointed questions, but she really hopes he doesn't. She won't be able to bear the humiliation – everyone would look at her as if she was injured. She's wrapped up in her churning emotions, and before she knows it she's running as if hellhounds were chasing her. But her feet aren't taking her to the kitchen at Camp, they're pulling her to the trees behind the Praetors' Villas, and then she's climbing the biggest one hidden in a clump, and she collapses in one of the highest branches. She's heaving for air, partly from the running, but mostly because since she realized Jason has a new girlfriend, she hasn't been able to breathe properly. The feeling is familiar. She'd spent many days gasping for breath when he was missing. She hugs her stomach and pulls her knees up to her chest – a default defensive move. But she can't protect herself, because what's threatening her is inside, and she can't stop the pain from battering her heart, and closing up her lungs and her throat.

_"__Men are distractions dearests. They'll lead you astray, and when they have what they want, they'll cast you aside without a single thought."_

The woman's voice echoes in her ears now, chastising her. _You should have known this would happen. You should have known. You should have… _Over and over she scolds herself, until soon, she can breathe slightly better.

How long has she been in this tree? People would start to wonder. She needs to get back to dinner. Why was she coming to Camp anyway? Right, the Arae need some convincing. She climbs back down, but before heading to the kitchens, she crawls into her home to clean up. She washes her face, rebraids her hair, and fixes her toga and cloak. Then she stares into the mirror, and begins to carefully reconstruct her expression until it is the right amount of cold, calculated, indifferent, serious, and aloof. The pain has subsided to emptiness, and now she feels, numb, cold, and hollow. But she braces herself for the evening's dinner, determined to put the needs of her people first. With a final check to make sure her appearance is in order, she marches out of her house and down the path to the kitchens.

"I hear that you're having some difficulty with the idea of serving dinner in the forum." The Arae whoosh past her with a sudden speed in annoyance. She has gotten used to their means of communication. "Well it's either entertain the guests in the forum, or allow them to enter Camp fully armed. Which one do you think would be better for the Romans?"

The air stills, and she knows she's won the argument. "Good, I expect dinner to be served in…" What time is it now? She glances at the clock. Holy crap, 6:30? How long was she in that tree? "…half an hour."

Having resolved the matter, she heads back to the forum, making each step last extra long so she can put off facing the Greeks a while more. In time though, she arrives, and is heralded by cries of surprise.

"Reyna, where have you been?" the girl squeals, but before she can answer, Gwen rushes on, sparing her a lie she knows Gwen won't believe anyway. "Jason's back, and he seems different," she whispers conspiratorially. As if she needs to be told.

"Gwen, Reyna!" Dakota saunters up from behind and puts his arms around the girls' shoulders. He lowers his voice and says, "Let's get this dinner over and done with."

They all gather around the table, most of them laughing and chattering, but Reyna feels removed from their conversation. When dinner has been served, she clears her throat. "So perhaps, Jason Grace, you would like to recount your adventures for us." She refuses to have any familiarity with him, and to meet his eyes, trying to make them as estranged as possible.

Jason tell his tale, and when he is interrupted by Octavian, Piper shuts him up, and tells Jason to continue. Reyna feels irritated with this girl. She has no right to address her Romans as such. But she knows her irritation runs deeper than that. When Jason is done, Percy tells his story, and very soon they're all up to date with each other's adventures. Jason is impressed by Percy's achievements, thanking him for taking care of his camp whilst he was gone. She is angry: Percy has only been there for a week, most of which he has been on a quest. She's been the one taking care of his "home" – as if he still feels this way about New Rome. But she pushes these emotions aside, knowing what is expected of her, knowing that if she shows any weakness, Octavian will pounce on her.

"Well the only thing left to be discussed is what is to be done now. Obviously the Prophecy of Seven is in motion, but now we need to pick our seven heroes."

"Me!" Jason volunteers, "and Pipes, and Leo, and Annabeth."

"And me! With Frank and Hazel."

"Woah! Wait! You can't just decide who's to go on this quest!" Octavian begins to protest, but Reyna holds up her hand cutting him off.

"It would seem that you seven are the obvious choice. Juno has chosen Percy and Jason as her heroes, and it seems the Fates have also chosen you five to accompany them. I approve of this choice." Octavian stares at her speechless.

"This is ridiculous Reyna! They can't just choose who'll be going!"

"Then we shall discuss it at tomorrow's Senate meeting. Just know that you have my support," she tells the Seven.

A silence descends on the group as they contemplate their next steps.

"Well, if there's nothing more to talk about right now, Reyna, I would like to show Piper around New Rome," Jason says.

She looks at him, and she feels a rush of anger. He just got back, and instead of thinking about checking up on his friends who have been worrying about him day and night over the past 8 months, his only concern is to spend time with this girlfriend? She can feel everyone's eyes on her. Finally she says, "Fine! I suppose Percy, you too would like to show Annabeth around?

Percy beams at her. "Make sure you take her to try the hot chocolate." Then she turns around and walks out of the pavilion.


	2. Chapter 2: Hot Chocolate vs Coffee

She opens the door and walks into her empty villa turning on the lights. It's lonely in here, but she doesn't call for her dogs. Their company is not the one she desires. She walks into her bedroom and sheds the toga and cloak, but doesn't put any other clothes on, instead wrapping herself in her blanket. Then she walks into the kitchen, pours herself a glass of milk, warms it, and then stirs in a package of Carnation Hot Chocolate. Then she sits at the island and pulls a stack of papers towards her.

She picks up the first one – a proposal to modernise the aqueduct system - and begins to read through the details of the project. When she reaches the end of the page, she realises she's been so lost in thought, that she hasn't understood a single word on the page. She sighs and begins again. But all she can hear is _I know you Reyna. One day you'll believe me._ She tries to push the voice out of her head and keep reading, but after ten minutes she gives up. She picks up her hot chocolate and heads into the living room and curls up on the couch. Taking a sip, she recoils. The taste of her favourite drink is suddenly bitter in her mouth. She tries again, and she begins to feel nauseous. Sighing, she puts the cup down, and lies down in the fetal position. She closes her eyes, and a memory comes back to her.

_His blues eyes are sparkling with surprise. "You've__never had hot chocolate?" he asks incredulously._

_She shrugs. "It's not really a big deal."_

_"__Not a big deal? Not a-?! You think not enjoying the most amazing comfort drink ever created in the history of the universe is not a big deal? What?" He actually looked so confused. Like a cute baby polar bear. _

_"__Coffee is pretty comforting to me."_

_"__Coffee is a wake up drink. Hot chocolate is a sitting-on-the-couch-by-the-fire drink."_

_"__You're walking to work right now and drinking hot chocolate. According to your argument, you should be drinking coffee."_

_"__That's not the point! Besides I need comfort to go to work."_

_She shook her head. "Look I've never had an opportunity to drink hot chocolate. And because I've never had it, I don't miss it, or feel like I need to drink it."_

_"__No need to drink hot chocolate? You don't need a need. How about just drinking it for pure bliss?"_

_She sighed, seeing no point to this argument. "If it means this much to you I'll try it sometime ok?"_

_"__No, not sometime. Right now!"_

_"__Jason, I don't have time to go grab a cup of hot chocolate now. We're already late!"_

_"__Here, try mine!" He held his cup out to her._

_She looked at it, surprised. The intimacy of the offer was a bit daunting, and she shirked from the closeness he assumed was between them. They hadn't been friends that long, after all she'd only been at camp for about two months now, and they'd barely had time to actually talk like normal friends. Yet, his assumption that they were close enough to share the same drink was touching. She'd never really had a friend before. So after a moment's pause, she accepted the cup, and took a sip. _

_She could feel the warmth spreading through her from the drink, and even as it left her mouth to travel down her oesophagus, she felt the pleasant sweetness that made her think of the rare warm moments she had enjoyed. She felt a sudden contentment, and she hadn't been sure whether it was from the drink or the offer of friendship Jason had made her. _

She still doesn't know and she's beginning to mull it over when there's a loud knock on the door. She jumps off the sofa and looks at the clock. 11:00 pm. Who could that be?

The person knocks again, this time louder and more insistent. Remembering that she was only clothed in her underwear, she rushes to her bedroom and pulls on a sleep shirt.

The person knocks again, and she growls in frustration. Octavian couldn't give her five minutes of peace even at midnight.

As she pulls open the door she snarls, "I swear to the gods Octavian, the next time-" She stops as she realizes who's standing on her doorstep.

He's rubbing the back of his blond head and smiling at her a sheepishly. "I'm sorry Reyna. I know it's late. But I just finished showing Piper New Rome, and thought I'd come by."

She doesn't know what to think. In fact, she's finding it hard to think. Her pulse is racing, and her emotions are raging, jumping from happiness to uncertainty to anger to fear in about five second intervals. So she's just staring at him.

He shifts uncomfortably. "Um, if you want I can come back later."

She shakes herself out of her mental paralysis, and composes herself. "No this is fine. What can I do for you, Jason Grace?"

"Seriously Reyna, just Jason is fine." When she doesn't respond, he continues, "Do you think I can come in?"

She considers this for a moment. Most of her wants to refuse, but the hopeful part that's dying to be near him is begging like a puppy for a treat. So she stands back and opens up the door a bit more for him to enter.

"Thanks," he says.

She nods, and then leads him into the living room. "Please make yourself comfortable." When he sits, she asks, "Would you like anything to drink or eat?" She remembers the courtesies her grandmother had taught her.

"Hot chocolate, I guess," he replies.

She nods, and walks back to the kitchen to make him a cup. When she returns with his drink, she sees he's inspecting the cup she'd made for herself. "It's cold," he concludes.

"Yes, I forgot about it."

"Forgot about the most amazing comfort drink ever created in the history of the universe?" he asks opening his eyes widely at her.

"I think, tonight is more a night for coffee." She takes the cup from his hands and heads back to the kitchen to throw the drink out. When she's done that she returns to the living room, and sits in the armchair in front of him. She studies him for a moment, and as he's about to say something, she cuts him off. "You look well."

"I am. Camp Half-Blood is a really good place. It's run more like a summer camp, but they've got these strawberry fields…" And then he's describing the place to her, and she feels a sinking dismay in the pit of her stomach. And then that dismay turns to anger. How can he love this new camp so much? What about the place where he was raised? She thinks she has a pretty good understanding of how Annabeth feels when Percy starts talking about New Rome.

"… and they play Capture the Flag instead of War Games, but it's the same principle," he finishes.

When she doesn't say anything, he leans back in the couch and looks around. "Place looks great. Where are Aurum and Argentum?"

"Resting."

"Oh."

They sit in silence for a minute. Neither of them is comfortable with the estrangement, and she wonders if he remembers how they used to spend their time together.

"Is there something you needed?"

"No. I just…"

"You just what Jason?" she asks tiredly. "Just wanted to see how I was doing? Well I'm tired. So if you don't need anything, perhaps you'll excuse me so I can get some rest."

"Reyna, I-." But whatever he's about to say, he stops himself. "I'm sorry to have bothered you. I'll see you at the Senate meeting tomorrow," he responds bitterly.

Hearing the bitterness, her heart breaks a little more, if that was even possible. As much pain as this whole situation is causing her, she doesn't want to hurt him. He helped her get through so much in the past, and she can't ever repay him for that. But still, her pride won't let her reach out to him, and maybe his bitterness at the way she's treating him, means that some part still cares that she's acting like this. Just maybe.

He gets up to leave and she follows him to the door. He turns, trying to say something. "I just, I don't-" Then he stops. "Never mind. Good night Reyna." And then he walks away without a backward glance.

She watches him go, wishing he'd say whatever it is he wanted to, wishing she knew how to reach him.

As he walks off into the night, Jason can't shake the sense of dislocation he's feeling. New Rome is supposed to be his home, but since he's been back, he doesn't feel like he belongs anymore. He was hoping that his visit to Reyna would make him feel less lonely, but Reyna was just colder than the rest of New Rome. He wishes he could just talk to her, but she seemed so distant and withdrawn, like she wanted nothing to do with him. And he doesn't understand why. He remembers they were good friends, but he wonders if he's recalling memories differently.

He isn't paying much attention to where he's going and before he knows it, his feet have taken him to the stables, and he suddenly remembers a particular memory as clear as day, he can't believe he's even forgotten it.

_Reyna had just arrived at camp, and she had been looking like a zombie. She barely spoke to anyone, answered with curt sentences, and generally kept everyone at arm's length. She also always seemed tired, so Jason began to wonder if she was sleeping well. He decided to check up and make sure she was doing okay._

_It was almost lights out when he was approaching the Third Cohort barracks_, _and saw a shadow slipping away. He was about to call out for them to stop, when they passed under a light, and for a brief moment, Reyna's face was illuminated. He was puzzled by her behaviour. Even though she was distant, she always followed the rules. She wouldn't be breaking curfew for no reason. So instead he followed her to the stables. She stopped and entered one of the stalls. _

_"__Hello Phillipe," he heard her whisper. "How are you doing today? I brought you an apple." And he heard the crunching of the apple as the unicorn chewed on it. She whispered some more to the horse, and Jason waited patiently for her to come back out. He'd talk to her as they walked back to her barracks. But after ten minutes, when the lights began turning off, and she still hadn't come out, he went into the stables, intent on getting her out. What he saw, however, surprised him._

_In Phillipe's stall, Reyna lay curled up on the unicorn's flank, covered in a blanket. He stared at her, and as he approached her, Phillipe snorted at him, as if to say, "Dude let her sleep." _

_But he ignored the unicorn and knelt next to her. Stroking her face, he said, "Reyna?" _

_"__Hmm," she murmured._

_"__Reyna, we should get back to the barracks."_

_She jumped up. "What are you doing here? You followed me?" she snarled._

_He was surprised by her sudden hostility. He reached out to touch her, but she jumped back, staring wildly at him. _

_"__What do you want Grace?"_

_He pulled his hand back and sat down. "Nothing, actually. I wanted to see how you were doing. You always look so tired, I thought maybe you weren't sleeping properly. Now I see why."_

_"__Don't talk like you understand me."_

_"__Reyna, I'm trying to. But I can't, if you don't let me."_

_"__Maybe I don't want you to."_

_"__And that's your choice. But you don't have to be alone here. We're a team, and we look out for each other. You don't need to pull away." And he got up to leave._

_"__Jason," she called. He turned back to her. "I come here to sleep, because I can't sleep in the barracks."_

_He sat back down. "Why not?"_

_"__I don't trust them. And I have nightmares."_

_"__Oh."_

_"__Don't tell anyone."_

_She looked at him with fear, and he was struck by how vulnerable she looked. Usually she was composed and aloof._

_"__That you sleep in the stables?"_

_"__And that I don't trust them."_

_He smiled. "I won't. But one day you will trust them. You'll see. This is your home now, and we are your family. We'll protect you. I'll watch out for you."_

_She looked at him, and he couldn't decide what she was feeling._

_"__I can't make the nightmares go away."_

_"__Maybe it's because you don't think you're safe."_

_"__Am I safe?"_

_He smiled at her innocent question. "Definitely. As long as I'm around, you're safe."_

_She looked at him, sizing up his declaration._

_"__Anyway, I should let you get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams." He got up to leave again._

_"__Wait! You're not going to make me go back to the barracks?"_

_"__No, I can't make you trust the people here. And if you feel safer amongst the unicorns to get sleep, then I'm not going to make you go back." _

_He had surprised her, he could see it in her eyes. After a moment's hesitation, "Will you stay with me?" she asked so softly, he thought he hadn't heard her right._

_He stared at her so long, she began to blush. "I mean if you don't want to, it's fine." _

_"__No, no. I'm just surprised. You don't really talk to me."_

_"__You're here now. And that counts for something."_

_He smiled at her, and scooted over to her. Pulling the blanket over him, he lay down and fell asleep. _

The memory comes to him in such clarity he feels as if he has been sucker punched by it. But it just makes him feel even more confused. She seemed distant, but what if she's still holding on to his promise, and she thinks that maybe he doesn't care about her anymore? So he turns around and walks back the way he came.

When the knock comes, she's surprised. It's definitely Octavian this time, because why would he come back. She opens the door, and he bear tackles her.

"Jason, what-?" But he's hugging her so hard, she can barely breathe. "Ow! Jason, please, I can't breathe!"

He lets go and holds her by her shoulders at arm's length. "You and I need to talk, and I'm not leaving until you answer my questions!"

She frowns at him in confusion. "What's going on, Jason?"

He just closes the door, walks into the living room, and flops down onto the couch, in an achingly familiar way.

"I've got questions, Ramirez!"

She rolls her eyes, and as she's crossing to sit on the armchair, he pulls her down onto the couch beside him. For a moment he's just holding her, looking into her eyes, and she can feel him pulling at her secrets, just the way he did in that stable four years ago. She wants to lean in and kiss him. Rest her head on his shoulder, and breathe in his familiar scent. She wants him to never let go of her. But she knows better, so she clears her throat, and pulls away. He lets go, and she crosses her legs, her knees pressing into the side of his legs.

"Okay, what do you need to ask? If it's about the Praetorship, we'll talk about it in the morning at the Senate…"

"Reyna, it's about you. Me. Us. This friendship thing."

"Oh." Her heart sinks. He's here to tell her that he doesn't love her, that she shouldn't love him. And really why should she?

"I walked by the stables when I left here."

She looks up at him curiously. "And?"

"And I remembered when I found out you were sleeping there."

She smiles at the memory. "I started sleeping in the barracks the next night."

"Yes. But you said, you couldn't because you didn't trust the legionnaires, and you were having nightmares."

He remembers what she told him with such precision, she wonders what else he remembers. And even against her better judgement, her heart begins to hope.

"I didn't just start trusting them overnight. But the night you stayed with me in the stables, I didn't have any nightmares, so I decided to give the barracks a shot."

"How come your nightmares stopped?"

She shrugs. "I guess, you coming and staying with me made me trust you. And maybe I felt hopeful that I could trust the other legionnaires as well. You gave me hope that night Jason Grace," she finishes a bit sadly, looking down at her hands.

He sits in silence for a moment, and then cups her chin forcing her to look at him. "How are you Reyna?"

The question is so sincere, she can't stop herself. And then she's crying, months of pain and frustration and heartbreak spilling out. And she wants him to leave, so she can cry in peace, and she can get this out of her system. For a moment he doesn't do anything, just stares at her in stunned silence – she's never let anyone see her cry. But then he's pulling her onto his lap, and she wants to pull away, but she just curls up in his arms and cries into his shoulder.

He doesn't say anything. Just strokes her hair, and lets her cry.

"I feel broken, Jason Grace." He holds her tighter. "When you disappeared, I felt like I lost a part of myself. And for months I couldn't sleep, or eat, or even think. I missed you so much it hurt. Felt like there was a hole in my heart. I used to work late so many nights that I would forget you were gone, and I would come home, expecting to find you in the kitchen making me hot chocolate, and you wouldn't be there. Then I'd walk all over calling out for you, and when I couldn't find you, I'd go over to your villa wondering what you were doing. But it would be so tidy and clean, and I'd suddenly remember you were gone, and it felt like the world was being pulled out from under my feet. I needed you Jason, and you were gone. And you're still gone." She pulls away from him angrily. "You forgot about us all!" she shouts. "You broke your promise, and now I don't have anyone!"

"Reyna," he reaches out for her, but she turns and marches into her bedroom. He follows her. After digging through a few drawers she finds what she's looking for. His favourite t-shirt.

She throws it to him bitterly. "Here, this is yours. I needed to feel you near me, so sometimes I would sleep in your clothes, in your bed. But it never helped. Nothing helped. No one could help me." She sobs the last word, and collapse to her knees, the room beginning to spin.

He rushes over to her, and holds her up. "Your girlfriend's right. Home is where the heart is. You are my home Jason Grace, and now I have none."

"I'm so sorry Reyna. I'm sorry."

She feels angry at his apology. As if that could fix anything. She knows her anger is slightly misplaced. After all Jason didn't asked to be kidnapped by his patron goddess, but still it feels like he betrayed her by falling in love with another. Oh how the gods must be laughing at her.

"The nightmares are back Jason. I'm tired because I'm having nightmares again. But now they're worse," she admits hollowly.

"Would you like me to stay with you?"

She glares at him. Realizing his arms are still around her, she jumps up. "No!" she snaps. "Just get out of here. Just leave me alone Jason Grace. Leave me alone!"

He's scared by her anger. Good. Let him remember how intimidating she could be. Without another word, he turns and leaves, taking his t-shirt with him.

When she hears the door close in place, she collapses on her bed, and tries to go to sleep. But she can't. She's too restless to go to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Meetings

Jason climbs on deck to meet a strange sight: there was a weasel scurrying around in panic, and Leo chasing it with a broom and hollering at the top of his lungs.

"Get off my ship! Get off!"

"Sqqquuuuuueeeeee," screams the weasel.

"What the -?!" Percy asks, climbing up behind Jason, trying to flatten his bedhead. When he sees the weasel, he shouts, "Leo no!" and runs over to protect the weasel.

That seems a bit odd to Jason, but he follows Percy anyway.

"Dude! A weasel?" Percy smirks at it.

The weasel chitters, and begins to shake. A moment later, Frank stands in the weasel's place, looking both terrified and angry. He shoots an angry glare at Leo, then turns to Percy and says, "Reyna asked me to tell you all she'd like to meet with you before we all go to the Senate meeting. Something about planning, and I quote, "a strategic presentation to mitigate any of Octavian's schemes". She just wants us to make sure we're prepared beforehand. Octavian's kind of a maniac, but a powerful maniac in the Senate chambers."

"Dude, why were you a weasel?" Percy shakes his head obviously still stuck on the question.

"Oh, I was an eagle. And then I was a person. And then I started thinking about this quest and the one to Alaska and how it would have been nice if I knew I could turn into animals when we faced the basilisks. Apparently, they're terrified of weasels. Would've been nice if I had turned into one then. And then I started wondering if I could turn into a weasel, so I decided to try it. That's when Leo came up and started chasing me with a broom. Have you ever been chased by broom? Not fun man."

Jason considers at Frank. He remembers Percy mentioning Frank's abilities the night before, but seeing is believing. He hadn't quite appreciated the ability until he saw it.

Leo is shaking his head. "I don't like rodents on my spanking hot war machine, man."

Frank frowns at Leo. "We should get going. I'm sure Reyna will want to go into detail about the meeting, and it starts at noon. That just gives us a few hours."

"We haven't even had breakfast dude!" Percy protests.

"Oh, Reyna's ordering breakfast for you all. She even got the Arae to make blue pancakes."

Percy visibly lights up the thought. "I'll go get Annabeth. Jason get Piper!"

Fifteen minutes later, they're walking through camp to the Principiate. Jason feels anxious. He was shocked by her outburst last night, and he still doesn't know what to make of it. Thinking of facing her now is making his stomach churn.

When they arrive, Reyna is fully dressed in toga, armour, medals, and cloak. _Not surprising_ Jason thinks. And for a moment he's stunned. Where did that thought come from? He squints trying to connect the assessment with particular memories, but he can't.

Reyna looks up at the group. Jason notices the tired rings around her eyes, the coffee cups on her desk, and the sag of her shoulder: all signs that she didn't sleep well last night. Good, he hadn't either after her confession. She smiles at them, polite but distant.

"Blue pancakes, huh?" Percy asks her.

She raises her eyebrows. "Comfort food."

He grins at her, and Jason feels briefly put out that this boy has built an easy relationship with Reyna. _Why though?_ Jason thinks. _You should be happy that she's not lonely_. But still he feels disappointed.

At that moment, there's a cacophony of loud barks and two metal greyhounds come racing into the room. Reyna smiles when she sees her dogs, but when they see Jason, they bound over to him. Aurum walks up with dignity, and allows Jason to pat him, then kneels by his feet. Argentum, on the other hand, jumps up to lick Jason's face, yipping with delight, and wagging his tail. Jason notices Reyna regarding them coldly. "Aurum, Argentum, heel!" she orders. The gold dog walks over to her, brushes against her legs, and then sits at her feet. Argentum, though, keeps playing with Jason. Reyna raises her eyebrows at them, and noticing her, Jason smirks at her. She rolls her eyes, and he feels for a moment that they're sharing something good again. But then she says, "Argentum!" and the dog trots over to her, abandoning Jason. Aurum yips at him disapprovingly, and then they both settle down at their mistress' feet.

"Perhaps we should start with breakfast." They all settle at the big table that's been cleared of all the sheets of paper, that Jason remembers, constantly covers its surface.

The Arae whip in with their meal, and everyone digs in hungrily, Percy gulping down his blue pancakes (_what's up with the blue food?)_. Jason watches Reyna – the way she carefully picks at her food. She eats with dignity, just like a queen. He wonders if her father had some foresight into her future that he would call her _Reyna_ – a fitting name for a queen.

When they've all eaten their fill, Reyna clears her throat. "Today, we will decide if we can sanction your quest, and if so, who will go on it, and how much aid Camp Jupiter will offer you. I already told you that I support this undertaking, and you seven who have all volunteered to complete it. Octavian, on the other hand, does not trust the Greeks. He won't like the four of you being in charge. He'll try to either completely remove you, or replace the Roman questers with those of his own choosing, those he can control. And for any of you who have attended Senate Meetings, Octavian has the tongue of a snake. He's excellent at convincing people to side with him, at bending them to his will through words. I need you to be prepared for this. I need you to understand that today, you must keep a level head. Any outbursts will just give Octavian an opportunity to demonstrate your inability to complete a severely stressful quest. Do you understand?"

They all look at her, then after a moment, they nod.

"So what do we do?" Annabeth asks.

Reyna looks at him, and he realizes that he has the answer. "We don't give Octavian the chance to speak as much as he likes. If he can't use words, no one will pay much attention to him."

Reyna nods. "Jason is correct of course. But more than that, we need to prepare counter arguments. Anything he says, we must present evidence to the contrary. He says the Greeks can't be trusted, we argue that we trust Percy enough to elect him Praetor. He was the people's choice. And he has saved our home. He says Frank is too new, too weak, we remind everyone that it was Frank who freed Thanatos, the god of Death. He says Jason has gone soft, we remind him of Jason's unwavering loyalty to his people." She fixes him with an icy stare, and Jason gets the feeling that she's not just talking about the Romans.

"What about the rest of us?" Pipers asks. "How do we convince the Romans they can trust us?"

"That will be up to Jason Grace. If he trusts you, then I suppose we'll just have to take his word for it." Piper and Leo both look worriedly at Jason. He tries to give them an encouraging smile, but he knows what game Reyna is playing. And suddenly he feels so angry. She doesn't trust his friends, even though he's already told her what they've been through together. And she talks about loyalty?

"You both have proven yourselves, I will vouch for you. Don't worry about Octavian, ok?" Jason assures them.

They look away, and Jason gets the feeling that they don't really believe him. He glares at Reyna and asks, "And you? How do we know that we can really trust that you won't turn on us in the Senate?"

Reyna's mouth settles into a hard line and her eyes are fuming. Even Percy, Hazel and Frank seemed taken aback by his question.

"Funny you should ask that, Grace," a voice calls from the entryway of the Principia.

Gwen walks into the room. Her usual happy expression is stormy. "We used to call you our Saving Grace. Do you _remember_, Jason Grace?" she asks mockingly. "Funny, seems to me that Reyna is the one who's been carrying your weight around here."

Jason feels like he's been slapped. Gwen always saw the best in people, and spoke up for him. He's never heard her say a single bad thing about anyone (well maybe except Octavian), so her tone hurts him deeply. He frowns at her.

"Gwen, enough! He is still your praetor," Reyna reprimands her.

She just glares at him. The others look down sensing the tension. Percy clears his throat. "Why don't Frank, Hazel, and I take you three down to the Senate? We can talk about how the Greeks are, um, friends!"

They all hurriedly excuse themselves, leaving Reyna and Jason alone with a glowering Gwendolyn. After they're all gone, Reyna turns to Gwen. "Gwen, I appreciate the support, but you can't just talk to him like that, at least not in front of everyone," she says gently.

"Right, so he gets to leave us all for eight months, and then saunter back again with some new family, and wave us aside as if we are nothing!" Gwen yells. Tears are pooling in her eyes, and this bothers Jason. Gwen has always been like a sister to him.

"You know none of this is his fault," Reyna says.

"So you can be angry at him but I can't?"

Reyna looks down.

Jason clears his throat. "Firstly, I'm still here. Secondly, you're right. That question was out of line."

Both girls look at him coldly. "Gwen, get back to New Rome. I'll see you at the Senate Meeting."

"But-," Gwen starts to protest.

Reyna looks at her expectantly. "Yes ma'am."

She turns to Jason when Gwen exits the room. She considers him for a moment, wondering what she should do. She wants to yell, the pain from that one comment overwhelming her. But mostly she's just tired. Tired from alternating between pain and numbness.

She sighs. "Damn it, Jason."

He gives her the courtesy of looking away.

"You know you can't talk to me like that, not in front of strangers at the very least."

"They're not strangers."

"They are to me. To this Camp. To our customs and our ways. Jason, I want to help this cause, but you can't patronize me."

"I'm not trying to. It's just, I don't know. Things are fuzzy. I'm sorry."

"Yea that's what you said last night."

"I don't know what else to say."

She stares at him silently for a moment. "You used to know exactly what to say," she mutters under her breath. But his ears are tuned for her words, and he hears her.

"Things have changed Reyna. I'm not the same person I was when I left."

She laughs sarcastically. "You left? You were taken. Against your will. Sent to a Camp we didn't even know existed. And you changed so much you're now practically family with these _foreigners_. Thing is Jason, you already had a family, here, at Camp Jupiter. And we waited for what feels like an eternity for you to come home. So you'll understand if we don't feel particularly warm and fuzzy towards you. We can feel your distance." A moment's pause. "I can feel it. You think that eight months can replace a lifetime of memories and feelings?"

"I'm not abandoning this place Reyna. But you know I've never really fit in here. I feel like I can be free at Camp Half-Blood."

She glares at him. "Free from what, Jason? From your responsibility to the people here. As far as I can see you're still responsible for others. Juno _chose_ you because that's what you are: a leader. But you're also more than that: you're a protector, a guardian. It just feels that now you're more protective of your few Greek friends, than the hundreds of Romans you've built a life here with."

He doesn't say anything for a while but just stares at the tabletop.

"I'm not your mother Jason, and I can't tell you how to live your life. All I can say is think about what you're trading in. Think if you've got all your facts straight. How much do you really remember?"

He opens his mouth to answer her, but she raises a hand cutting him off. "It's almost time for the Senate to convene. We should head down to the city."

They walk in silence for a bit, both not knowing how to bridge the distance between them. Finally, he says, "It used to be easier, didn't it?"

"We didn't have so much baggage," she replies.

"And we have that now?"

She sighs. It's her turn to not have the answers. "It's hard to forget when all you can do is remember."

"What is it you remember, Reyna? Why don't I remember these things? Juno swore she gave me back all my memories."

"And how would you know if she did?"

He frowns. "I –. I suppose I don't really know."

She nods, confirming what he said. "Tell me, when you woke up on this bus, did Piper and Leo know who you were?"

He frowns at her question, confused as to why she would ask that. "Um, well they thought I had been going to school with them. Leo thought I was his best friend. And Pipes, well she -. She thought I was her boyfriend." He glances at her to see how she's taking this. But her face is empty of emotion.

"Mmmhmm," she murmurs. "And what of their memories? Did Juno give those back to them?"

"No."

She raises her eyebrows at him. "You don't think that's a little unfair, and maybe a bit interfering?" she asks, turning to face him and forcing him to stop and face her.

He looks her in the eye. "What do you mean," he asks evenly.

"Well, I can at least say that your relationship is blessed by the gods."

"Reyna!"

"Rey," she says quietly.

"What?"

"Rey. That's what you used to call me. Just like you call her Pipes." And he's struck by the bitterness in her voice. She keeps walking, but faster, and he has to jog to catch up with her.

"Rey," he mutters. "Rey…" playing with the name as if it's totally unfamiliar to him.

Her heart sinks but she refuses to let it show on her face, adamantly staring straight ahead of her. They pass the rest of the walk in silence - her brooding over her current predicament, him scowling slightly at her hint that he may not have gotten back all his memories.

As they pass under the border, Terminus shouts, "You, boy! What sense do you have? Bringing those Greeks here, onto Roman soil. How dare you disgrace the legacy of your ancestors, and a praetor no less?"

"Hello Terminus," Jason replies brightly, "nice to see you all chipper on this fine day."

Terminus opens his mouth to speak again but a high pitched squeal cuts him off.

"JAAAYYYYYYSSSOOOONNNN!" And suddenly he is attacked by a bright pink blur. When she recovers from her shock, Reyna sees who has caused the disturbance.

"Hey Jules!" Jason addresses the six year old girl in a pink dress and blond pigtails, hugging her tightly. "I've missed you."

The girl untangles herself from his embrace and smiles sheepishly at him. "Me and Reyna missed you too," she replies innocently, smiling sweetly at him, and showing off her two missing front teeth.

Reyna blushes, but keeps her composure. "Little bird," she calls to the little girl, "Why don't you tell Jason how you lost your teeth?"

The little girl pouts. "You promised Reyna! You said you wouldn't tell him!" she whines.

She smiles at the child. "I promised I wouldn't tell him. I didn't say anything about making you tell him."

The girl starts to complain. "Reynaaa…. sssttttooooppppp!"

She just smiles, and the little girl reaches out for her. She takes her into her arms. "Terminus, we have a meeting to get to. We will hear your complaints afterwards."

"Humph. Very well Praetor," the god concedes.

Holding her tightly, she continues on to the city. Julia kisses her on the cheek. "I love yooouuu Reyna," she sings.

"I don't accept bribes birdy," she teases.

"I love you. Please don't make me tell him!" Julia squeals, and hugs her tighter!

"I love you too little bird," she whispers to her, kissing the top of her head.

"Um, I've been gone for eight months and you literally abandon me for Reyna in a minute?" Jason complains to the child.

She laughs. "She always liked me better Grace. You know that." And she smiles coyly at him.

Jason just stares at her open mouthed. He tries to say something, closes his mouth, opens it again, closes it, and shakes his head. "That is the first time you've smiled at me since I stepped off the ship."

"And you're ruining it. Shut up!" she retorts.

"I love you too Jason!" the little girl pipes up.

He smiles at her fondly and strokes her cheek over Reyna's shoulder. "Love you too birdy!"

"Alright Miss Julia, we need to find your parents. We grown-ups have meetings to attend!"

Julia plants a kiss on her cheek. "Mommy and daddy are by the fountain in the forum."

A ginger haired woman in about her thirties runs up to them slightly breathless. "Julia! How many times must I tell you not to run off like that!" she scolds.

"I'm sorry mommy. I wanted to say hi to Jason," she apologizes sweetly. Then she reaches out for her mother, who takes her into her arms.

"Hi Olivia," Jason says grinning at the red-haired woman.

"Don't you "Hi" me Jason Grace! You've been back since yesterday and you couldn't even come round to see your poor old mother and put her worries to rest. All these grey hairs are all because of you," she says pointing to her head, where not a single grey is poking out.

Jason laughs, and walks over and kisses her on the cheek. "I'm sorry, _Mom_, but I lost track of time."

"I bet," she says accusingly, staring hard at me. After a moment she says, "Hello Reyna dear," and leans over and kisses her on the cheek. "You need to sleep more child," she comments.

Reyna smiles. "Yes Olivia."

"And make sure you two come by for dinner tonight!"

Reyna opens her mouth to protest, but Olivia cuts her off. "No buts! Tonight! At 6:30 pm!"

And without another word, she turns and walks away, Julia waving goodbye over her mother's shoulder. Reyna and Jason watch her retreating silhouette for a moment.

The she breaks the silence. "Shall we get this meeting over and done with?"

He nods, and together they walk into the Senate solemnly.


	4. Chapter 4: Loyalties and Enemies

SO first of all. thank you to everyone who posted reviews! I'm really grateful for the feedback, especially since this is my first fanfic! I know many of you want me to get started on some real Jeyna fluff, and I too really want to get started on that. But there's always that one chpter that needs to be written first before we can get into the really juicy stuff! So please please forgive me for not posting Jeyna fluff immediately. I promise that the next chapter will have lots of it! I do hope you enjoy this one. After all, every story needs some outside drama :)

She briskly walks down the aisle towards the podium slightly ahead of Jason. As she walks, she hears whispers and murmuring; she knows the subject of discussion: Jason. When she reaches the front, she realizes there are only two chairs for only two Praetors. Turning around, she sees Jason making for the second and Percy standing in the front aisle. She shakes her head at Jason and says, "No, stay there," motioning to the bottom of the raised stage. He frowns at her curiously but does as he is told.

"Perseus Jackson, please take your position as Praetor," she calls.

Percy walks towards the front a bit sheepishly and throws an apologetic look at Jason.

She looks at both of them for a moment and thinks about who she would rather have by her side. Percy is loyal and has proven that he would go to any lengths to protect his home. But this isn't his home after all. And Jason. His heart has always been in the right place, and she has never trusted anyone more with her life, but now she's not really sure what to make of him. Yet, she knows between the two, she would choose Jason any day.

"The Senate is convened," she says to the crowd and they all take their seats, except for her and Octavian who opens his mouth to speak, but she raises her hand to silence him. He glares at her open-mouthed for a few seconds, but then closes it and sits down.

"We have much to discuss today, so I shall spare us all the lengthy decisions. The first issue that needs to be resolved concerns the matter of our Praetors. Custom dictates that two Praetors shall preside over New Rome, but now we have three. And unless anyone objects, I have no intention of stepping down anytime soon." She smiles at them, and most of them return it.

"Very well, the choice is between Jason Grace and Perseus Jackson. Jason Grace has resided amongst us, and grown up with us. He knows our customs, our rules, our beliefs, and our ways of life. He has earned our trust, and he has demonstrated that this trust has not been misplaced." The words came easily to her. She knows him, she really does. And she knows that every word she says is true. She trusts him beyond measure, and she would gladly put her life in his hands without question. "Time and time again, he has sacrificed much for New Rome, putting his own life in harm's way so that our community may endure, that our young ones may enjoy a peaceful tomorrow. He has demonstrated his love and loyalty to New Rome…" For a moment her voice catches, and she feels as if her lungs will burst. She pauses, and she can feel curious glances thrown her away. Even Jason turns to look at her. This is not the time to show weakness. Blinking, she continues on, "As Praetor, he became a guardian of our people, and his leadership and wisdom has never failed us. I would follow Jason Grace to the ends of this world, if he needed me to," she finishes. She holds her chin up, and even though he again turns to look at her, she refuses to meet his gaze.

"However, Perseus Jackson has come to us in an hour of need. In fact one could argue that he was _god-sent_." She pauses, and a few people smirk. Percy says, "_Goddess-sent_ you meant," and the chamber fills with laughter. She smiles at Percy and he winks at her. "Yet in the week that he has been here, Percy has demonstrated a willingness of heart. He accepted his role in a daunting quest, and without his help, Camp Jupiter may not have survived. He rescued our Eagle, the symbol of our legions and brought it home. He banished Polybotes, with the help of a God-statue, back to the depths of Tartarus, He is a champion of our people, a fact that we all recognize, for it is you who made him Praetor. Does anyone deny he is a worthy candidate?"

"I do!" Octavian pipes up. She resists rolling her eyes.

"On what grounds, Octavian," she asks evenly.

"He is a _graecus_ and an enemy of Rome!" he retorts.

"He has saved our home, Octavian, willingly, and without asking for compensation." Turning to the rest of the assembly she asks, "Does anyone else share the same concerns as Octavian?"

Octavian glares at a few people, who then reluctantly, raise their hands.

She sighs, and then says, "Very well, the matter must be decided upon."

Percy then raises his hand, and turning to her he asks, "Permission to speak Madam Praetor?"

She raises her eyebrows at him, but nods anyway.

"Look, I will do anything I can to protect Camp Jupiter and New Rome. You guys took me in when I didn't know where else to go, and this feels like home now too. I may be Greek, but I am not your enemy. If by my life, I can save this place, I would gladly do it. But I am not saying these things because I'm trying to convince you to keep me as Praetor. I never wanted to be a leader, and I told Reyna this on my first day here when she offered me the Praetorship. Jason Grace has been with you all these years, and he is the rightful Praetor. That is why I am giving Jason back his seat. Does anyone object?"

Some looked shocked, other were smiling and nodding.

"Do you, Jason Grace, accept the proposition Perseus Jackson has offered?" she asks him.

"Percy, are your sure man?" Jason asks.

"YES!" Percy shouts.

"Are there any objections to handing the Praetorship back to Jason Grace?" she asks the crowd at large.

"Yes!" Octavian bellows bouncing up. "He's been fraternising with the enemy, gave our location away to them, brought them here, and expects us to welcome them with open arms! He's become one of them, and he is no longer one of us!"

She blinks at Octavian. How could she contradict him, when she felt exactly the same way, when she'd pretty much said the same thing to Jason earlier this morning? But before she can say anything, Jason speaks.

"I know that some of you may have your doubts about me. Truthfully, even I have my doubts." She frowns at this; if he's having an identity crisis, he should not be broadcasting it. "For eight months Camp Half Blood was my home, and I cannot deny that I liked it there. In fact I loved it. I made new friends, found love, and fell in love with the serenity and beauty of the place." As he speaks, she feels as if a hot wire is being tied around her heart, squeezing all the blood out of it. But he continues, "I found peace there, but it doesn't matter. My duty is to my people, to New Rome, and I'll be damned if I can't fulfil it" he declares, a bit rebelliously. Yet, she notices he didn't say "to my home", and she can't help feeling a bit worried that his loyalties might not be in the right place.

When he finishes, she lets the members consider his words, and then she asks, "Has Jason Grace ever given you reason to doubt him when he was Praetor?"

Octavian jumps up, but before he can speak, Dakota stands up. "Jason has never failed us, and I too would follow him anywhere. You have my vote."

Others begins to murmur, and slowly one by one they take to their feet, until only about seven people remain sitting – Octavian's cronies.

"It is decided. Jason Grace shall resume his duties as Praetor." And with that she wraps up the discussion. Glancing at Octavian, she sees a sour and cruel look cross his face, and for a moment she worries that he has some plan up his sleeve. But this isn't the time to worry about it, so she returns her attention to the meeting. "Jason," she says motioning to the empty chair next to her, "you may take your seat."

After Jason sits, she steps down in front of Percy, and for a moment just considers him. "We thank you for your service Perseus Jackson." And as she leans in closer to remove the Praetor badge from his chest she adds, "I thank you for saving my home, Percy. I am glad you came here when you did, and that we settled the past, so that I may now consider you a friend." She steps back, and offers him her hand, which he raises his eyebrows at, and then pulls her into a hug.

"I will always be here for you," he whispers, but this doesn't make her smile. Instead she just feels dread at his words.

"Be careful what promises you make," she whispers back, and then pulling away she motions for him to take his seat.

"Very well, let us continue with the next item of business: the quest. Let us start with an account of their adventures."

Jason stands up and begins to relate to the Senate exactly what has happened to him over the past few months, and when he falters he allows Piper and Leo to help. When he has finished, Percy, Frank, and Hazel also recount their tale.

When they have finished, and have taken their seats, she says, "Now we must decide on what needs to be done. Octavian, does it seem to you like the Prophecy of Seven has started?"

"Yes," he says, "But-"

"Very well, what actions shall we take?. The giants are rising, and they wish to wake Gaea. If she rises, our world as we know it will end. It seems to me, and you will correct me if I am wrong Octavian, that Juno has selected Jason Grace and Perseus Jackson to lead this quest."

"We cannot be sure of that!" Octavian challenges.

"Really, Octavian? Juno plucked Jason out of camp and placed him amongst the Greeks, and likewise escorted Percy personally to us Romans. Yes, she may have wanted leaders of both camps, but then why not choose me or Annabeth? No, it seems to me that Jason and Percy are her champions, and if this is her will who are we to challenge it?" She glares at Octavian daring him to challenge her. But he feels it just as much as she does that the Senators agree with her, so he says nothing.

"No? Well then, as the leaders of this quest, Jason and Percy have the right to choose their companions. The prophecy tells of seven heroes, so who will be your companions Jason Grace and Percy Jackson?

"I want Leo and Piper," Jason states.

"I'm taking Annabeth, Frank, and Hazel with me," Percy declares.

But at this, the Senate bursts into angry protests.

"We will not allow Greeks to undertake this quest!"

"Frank is too inexperienced!"

"They cannot choose their own heroes!"

"NO GREEKS!"

"ENOUGH!" she yells with authority, and immediately the chamber falls silent. "As leaders of this quest, Jason and Percy are entitled to choose their fellow questers. If this is their choice, then so be it! Octavian please recite the lines of the Prophecy."

Grudgingly he clears his throat and recites, "_Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath. And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death_. It doesn't say anything about Greeks does it Praetor," he finishes smugly, and some Senators shake their heads in agreement.

"No, but it does say foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. For so long Greeks and Romans have been enemies. Perhaps this is what the Prophecy foretells," she replies calmly. "Maybe it is time for the two camps to put their differences aside."

"Our Praetor would have us consort with Greeks?!" Octavian smugly states. "She would have us trust our ancestors' enemies."

"Yes, I would. For peace, I would forsake my own life. For peace, no price is too great to pay," she replies. "Would you not give your hand to protect your children?" she asks the gathering. "Octavian, I will not allow pride to stand in the way of our people's future. Even if we cannot have friendship, then at least we can have an alliance. Can we settle for that?"

The Senators are nodding, though some of the older Lares frown. Then Marcus Aurelius, the Lares speaks up, "This enmity is old Praetor, and goes against all our traditions."

"We have a tradition of winning Marcus, do we not?" she challenges.

He does not reply.

"Well then, all in favour of the alliance?"

Most raise their hands. Satisfied she says, "Motion passed. Now how much aid can we give them?"

Octavian stands up, this time looking fiercely determined. "They have transportation already, and as I mentioned a week ago when we debated the quest to Alaska, we need supplies here. Now we have to defend and rebuild New Rome, we cannot waste expenditures on a quest that seems already well organized."

Most of the crowd look satisfied with this statement, so she knows that it will be hard to persuade them otherwise. But Jason stands up to address the crowd.

"Octavian is right. The camp needs every denarii in Rome's treasury. There's no need to spend it sponsoring this quest. We have prepared for all seven demigods. The Greeks have sent this as a token of peace, and hope it will convince you that we are all on the same side. Do you all feel comfortable with this?"

No one speaks out, so she assumes that this is settled. "Very well, Camp Jupiter will offer counsel but no material aid to the quest."

The questers nod at her, looking grim. When Jason sits back down she leans over and whispers, "Maybe you should have started the meeting with that?"

But he grins casually, and replies, "But all the drama is what makes these meetings so… _interesting_."

She shakes her head at him, and stares at him for a moment then turns her attention back to the meeting. She checks the time; 3:30 in the afternoon. It feels as if this day has been dragging slowly by, and she doesn't know how much more of the stuffy room she can take. So she stands up and says, "Since all matters of political import are decided, how about we call it a day? Go home and be with your families. We shall reconvene next week to discuss the rebuilding efforts. Adrian, I expect some blueprints on my desk in two days' time!"

A tall, well-muscled African eighteen year old boy nods at her from the back of the Senate, and then files out with the rest of people.

For a moment, she just stares at the retreating figures, but then Annabeth interrupts her gazing. "Thank you Reyna."

She nods, and replies, "I only wish we could have done more."

Jason looks sorry. "It's okay. We're really good at taking care of ourselves." And he tries to give her an encouraging smile, but she can see the worry in his eyes.

She nods. "Well we have some time before Olivia's dinner party. Why don't you all visit the lake? It's really hot outside, and the lake's a great place to cool down!"

"That's a great idea!" Percy states. "I've never seen you out of armour, much less in a bikini, Rey!"

She stares at him for a moment, surprised at his forwardness, but then Annabeth seeing her face laughs. "Stop embarrassing her, Seaweed Brain," she says, slapping Percy's arm.

"Well maybe if she wasn't so stoic," he replies.

She shakes her head whilst rolling her eyes.

"Listen, enjoy the lake. I'm going to head up to Camp, see how things are going."

"Reyna, come with us. You could use a break," Jason pleads. And she feels strangely satisfied to see his girlfriend frown slightly at him.

"Maybe you're right. But you don't ever get a break from being a Praetor, and right now I am needed at Camp. So I'll catch up with you all later!" The she grabs some papers from the podium, and with a swish of her cloak, she walks out into the sunlit forum.


	5. Chapter 5: Strangers

**This update took a while. Sorry guys, but you can blame that on school. One thing I really hated about the HoO series is Rick's lack of attention to Jason's older friends. We don't really get to see them, so I decided to include a little taste of the gang's friendship in this one. Hope you enjoy it! Comment and let me know what ya'll think please! :)**

She's walking through Camp, watching the activity around her, and she feels restless. Like she's in the wrong place at the wrong time. She feels as if she's walking through a dream, not really belonging to the scene around her. She's itching to do something, so she makes for the Principia, intending to bury herself in her work. But when she's seated at her desk five minutes later, the words on the papers in front of her just don't seem to be making any sense.

"The Aqueduct system, whilst an ancient reminder of Rome's greatness, is also a functional engineering project."

_He's laughing joyously at something she said, and she's pleasantly surprised that someone's laughing at her jokes._

"It brings water to the population of New Rome, making sure each citizen has access to clean potable water."

_She's running after him, and she feels a joyous buoyancy rising in her chest._

"If this great structure was to fall into disrepair, it could cause untold chaos in the city."

_"__I know you Reyna." He's smiling at her likes he knows something that she doesn't. _

Frustrated, with her inability to concentrate, she slams the binder on the aqueduct project shut, and begins to pace the room.

Finally, she stops before the wall covered in shelves and shelves of books – on history, on Rome, on warfare, on politics, and many just pure fiction. She was, luckily, one of the few demigods who was not dyslexic.

_The box from Amazon was sitting between her and Jason. _

_"__Just open it, Rey," he urged._

_"__I haven't seen my sister since before I arrived at the Wolf House. She's never even sent me a letter. What does she want now?" she asked, a bit angrily._

_"__Maybe she's trying to reach out to you now," he replied encouragingly._

_"__If she didn't cut me off, she wouldn't have to reach out to me."_

_"__Reyna, she's your sister. You'll never be able to change that."_

_"__Our story is complicated."_

_"__Pfft. My mom left me with wolves when I was two. You think your story's complicated?"_

_She was taken aback. He admitted this so non-chalantly. "Jason, I'm sorry. I didn't know."_

_He shook his head. "It's nothing. Just open the box!"_

_She had looked at him for a few seconds, trying to read his story, but he had avoided her gaze, and she thought, fair enough, this was after all his business, and if he didn't want her to know then so be it._

_"__If you had an unexpected present from you mother, would you open it?" she had asked._

_"__Yes," he replied without hesitation. "Some part of me still wants to know she cares."_

_She had stubbornly stared at him for a few seconds._

_"__Listen, if you don't want to open it, don't. But trust me Reyna, you'll regret it. You can at least offer her a chance to redeem herself."_

_Shaking her head, she reached for the box. "Why do you even care?"_

_"__Because I know you miss her."_

_She frowned at him. "What?"_

_"__Every time someone asks you about your family, you always go silent. And you get this sad, faraway look in your eye. It's hard for you to talk about them."_

_"__I didn't realize you paid such close attention to my expressions."_

_He shrugged indifferently. "I'm observant like that."_

_"__Really? Could you tell me what colour shirt Dakota was wearing yesterday?"_

_"__Um… blue! No purple! Trick question, Rey! He was wearing standard Camp Jupiter colours."_

_She smiled, knowing full well that Dakota had been wearing a grey shirt yesterday, which he had atrociously stained with Kool-Aid in the afternoon._

_"__I'm wrong aren't I?"_

_She just smiled wider._

_"__Whatever! Just open the package."_

_Grinning, she pulled the box closer to her, pulled out her dagger, and slit the top of the box. Inside, neatly wrapped in tissue paper, were a stack of books._

_"__Well that's exciting," Jason remarked picking up the top one. He was holding a copy of "Young Warriors" by V.S Reid. "A book! Who's the author anyway?"_

_"__He's from the Caribbean!" she retorted, snatching the book from him._

_"__They look old," he said picking up the others in the box._

_"__I think they belonged to my father," she replied frowning._

_"__Oh." He was watching her closely. "Rey, are you okay?"_

_She pulled her gaze away from the books – five of them in total. "Yea, let's just put them on the shelf, okay?" She gathered the books, walked to the shelves, and found a space on the second shelf from the top to place them. She could feel his gaze on her back, and his unasked questions piercing through her. After she put them on the shelves, she stood back and for a minute admired their place amongst the other volumes. "I think he read those to her."_

_"__Your dad?"_

_She nodded. "Yea, Hylla said he used to read to her – to us – at bedtime. I don't really remember it."_

_"__What do you remember about him Rey?"_

_She shook her head. "I'm sorry Jason, but I don't really want to talk about it." _

_"__It's okay," he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. "Why did she send these ones?"_

_She had snorted. "Might have been his favourite ones, or her favourite ones. I don't know."_

_"__Do you think she wants you to remember your dad?" he asked quietly._

_She frowned and looked at him. "Why would she do that? I don't think my sister is feeling rather fond of our father," she said coldly._

_"__Maybe your sister is ready to let go of the past, and she wants you to do the same. Trust me, you don't want to carry this baggage around with you forever."_

_"__Don't pretend you understand my family, Jason Grace." She walked away from him._

_"__Rey, maybe I don't understand your family, but I know how feeling resentful towards your family can be. It will hold you back." He had walked to her side and was peering into her face. "Listen, just think about it ok?"_

_She looked into his clear blue eyes, and once again, they had made her feel hopeful. He was a stranger, and yet he felt so familiar. It was surprising that he was the one who was trying to mend her family. He didn't need to help her. Then she had done something that had surprised her as much as she had surprised him. She had wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him closer. _

_After recovering from his shock, he had wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently, and then placed a kiss on her forehead. "At the very least, if you're not ready to forgive your family, you have one here at Camp Jupiter, Rey. Don't ever forget that," he had whispered quietly._

The memory makes her feel hollow and she sinks to the ground, her back against the shelves. She leans her head back against the books, and closes her eyes. _I am not the one who forgot Jason_, she thinks to herself.

"Reyna?"

Her eyes fly open.

"Gods almighty! You have to stop doing that," she shouts at his approaching figure, but his blue eyes are sparkling with humour.

"Stop what?" he asks innocently.

"Stop showing up when I least expect you!"

"So I might assume that there is a time when you expect me?"

She just squints at him suspiciously. "What do you want Grace?"

He grins at her discomfort, and flops down beside her. "Somehow watching you squirm is seriously satisfying."

"You have amnesia, and yet you don't forget that you take pleasure in my discomfort? The injustice of it all!" But she rolls her eyes teasingly at him.

He shoves her slightly, and she playfully slaps his arm – something they used to do all the time before he disappeared.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the lake?" she asks him.

"Thought I'd try convincing you to join us," he replies non-chalantly.

"Well, you know. I am much too busy to do something as mundane as attend a beach party," she says sarcastically.

He snorts, and she wonders if he remembers the time he had teased her about being a workaholic.

But he says nothing and after a few minutes of silence he turns to look at the books. "So have you read all these yet?"

She rolls her eyes. "No! As I explained to you before, I am taking my time to savour these books. Each one needs as much attention as a newborn baby. It'll take me time to finish all of them!"

He frowns at her.

"What?"

"I don't remember you saying this."

"Oh."

He turns, so that his back is once again braced against the shelves, but continues to frown.

Seeing him in anguish, she shakes her head and says, "Listen, forget about it. It's really nothing."

"Yea ok." But the frown doesn't disappear from his face.

"You should bring Piper to dinner tonight."

"What?" he asks turning to face her, clearly still thinking about what he had forgotten. "Oh, to Olivia's."

She nods.

"I don't know Rey. Seems like Olivia just wanted the two of us."

She stares at him in open-mouthed surprise.

Seeing her look, he asks, "What?"

"Rey."

"What?" he asks again, clearly confused.

"You called me Rey!" she says, a bit hysterically.

"Huh?" He frowns. "When did I… OH!"

She's wearing a stupid smile on her face, she knows it. But she hasn't felt this light-hearted since he disappeared. And even though she knows it's probably a bad idea, she feels hope blooming in her heart.

He's watching her closely, but she's finding it hard to stop smiling. Maybe, just maybe, things can be good between them again.

"You look beautiful when you smile."

"Yea, you say that all the time."

"Oh." And he faces forward again, and she feels the balloon deflating inside her.

"You don't remember."

He shakes his head.

She falls back against the shelves, silent and angry again.

"You really think I should bring Piper."

She frowns, and pushes herself up off the floor. Walking back to her desk, she says, "If you want to."

"But you just said-"

"Look you're old enough to make your own decisions. If you want to bring her, just bring her." And she opens the binder, and resolutely begins to read the pages in front of her, though the words are swimming off the page in her angry gaze.

He knows she's dismissed him. "Fine! I'll bring Leo and Annabeth along as well!"

"Might as well invite Percy, Hazel, and Frank whilst you're at it," she calls after his retreating figure.

Now she's too angry to even try to work so she stalks off to her villa intending to change into clothes suitable for a workout and then head to the gym to do some training.

She's working on a punching bag, letting her frustration out through the boxing gloves. Left, right, duck. She repeats the simple pattern, but she pours more force into each punch, until one particularly strong strike sends the bag flying violently off the hook. She's about to move on to another bag, when a voice stops her.

"What did the punching bag ever do to you?" Dakota asks innocently.

"The sole purpose for a punching bag is to be punched Dakota. If I didn't punch it, think of how useless it would feel," she replies smirking.

"Oh how unfair to the punching bag. It should be able to choose its own destiny."

She smiles at Dakota as he comes closer and gives her a fist bump. "Are you coming to dinner tonight?"

"I thought Olivia invited you and Jason alone. Wasn't it supposed to be a private affair?" he asks confused.

"Well it may have a few extended visitors."

"You convinced him to bring his new girlfriend along, didn't you?"

She makes a face at him.

"Oh Reyna, you're just as bad as he is."

"I'm just trying to make the best of a fucked up situation."

"You and Jason need time to be together without all of us around. You know, to talk and figure things out."

"We already tried that. All we do is fight."

"Or all that happens is you yell and he walks away."

She sighs. "You intuition is freaking annoying." She's moving closer to a new punching bag, but Dakota grabs her arm.

"Oh no, you don't. You've given these punching bags enough hell for one day. We are going for a walk, and then getting you dolled up for dinner. Come on."

"Dakota please, I'd like to be alone," she protests, trying to wring her arm from him, but his grip is unusually strong.

"Not today Rey. You've pushed us all away for too long. He was our friend too."

She stops struggling when she hears the hurt in his voice. She watches him for a second, and she realizes she has been selfish. She had been thinking of how much Jason hurt her that she had completely ignored her friends' feelings who, as Dakota pointed out, were also Jason's friends and for much longer than she had been. "I'm sorry Dakota." She gently pulls away from his grip, walks over to her bag, puts the boxing gloves away, and picks up her bag. "A walk sounds good."

He nods, and together they walk out of the gym.

They're walking to the Field of Mars, the area riddled with potholes but empty of people – the campers were focused on the reconstruction effort.

"Do you remember when some Senators wanted us to abandon the search for Jason?" he asks.

She nods, remembering the shouting match clearly.

"You said you'd quit and look for him yourself if they abandoned the search," he says watching her closely.

She smiles sadly. "And you said you were coming with me even if I didn't want you to."

He nods. "We needed him back."

She says nothing, staring straight ahead.

"We never thought he was dead," he pushes on. "Not once." His voice sounds bitter.

She feels dread pooling in the pit of her stomach – she knows exactly where Dakota is going with this conversation, but she doesn't want to hear him say it aloud. She doesn't want anyone to confirm what she already knows.

"But it's like he did die, you know." He stops, and takes her shoulders, forcing her to look him squarely in the face. "You feel it as much as I do – you feel that he is a stranger. That is not the same Jason who left eight months ago."

She looks him in the eyes – eyes full of anger and wild desperation. And she knows why he's brought her out here. He needs as much reassurance as she does that his friend is back. She puts her arms around his waist and pulls him tightly to her. "Dakota, I'm so sorry."

His body is shaking as he cries silently into her shoulder, his tears wetting them. And she just holds him, letting him cry.

"He was my friend Reyna. He was my friend." Over and over again he repeats it, and she gently strokes his back trying to comfort him. After a while he pulls away from her, wipes his face on the sleeves of his t-shirt and sits cross-legged on the ground, staring sadly into the distance.

She sits beside him, and leans her head on his shoulder.

"When I first came to camp, I was god-awful at everything. I could barely hold a sword, I tripped a lot, and I had really bad acne. Everyone thought I was another lost cause so I got placed in the Fifth. But Jason, he helped me out. He sparred with me for hours every night, taught me how things worked around here, even got Olivia to help me out with my acne. He was like a big brother to me, even though he was younger, you know?"

She nods because she does know. Jason had offered her the friendship, support, and comfort when she had first arrived at camp.

"When you said you would follow him anywhere this morning, you meant it. I know you did," he says.

"I did."

"I would too, or at least I would have. He's always looked out for us."

She does not reply, and he looks at her.

"What are you going to Reyna?"

"My job."

He shakes his head. "He loves you Rey. He just doesn't remember."

"Well that makes a hell of a difference Dakota," she replies coldly. "You can't love someone you don't remember."

He wraps his arms around her shoulders and squeezes it. "Love is something you feel deeply. Someone can't just take it away."

"It can be replaced. You've felt it."

He nods. "I have."

She wraps her arms around his waist again. "What are you going to do Dakota? Are you going to just keep drinking?"

He frowns. "You've noticed, huh?"

"I have noticed. I've noticed that since Jason's disappearance, the frequency of your lip colouring has increased."

He purses his lips. "We all deal in our own ways."

"You could have come to me Dakota."

"We tried. You pushed us away. You dealt by throwing yourself into your work. You wanted to be left alone, which was the worse thing you could have decided to do, but we couldn't get through to you."

She knows that what he says is true. "No one could help me Dakota. Being around you all just made me miss him even more. He was the one who made us all friends."

"And we fell apart once he left."

"Turns out he was our glue too."

For a while they sit in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Please come to dinner Dakota. And bring Gwen and Bobby. I won't be able to do this without you all."

"Ok," he says. And they just sit together, drawing comfort from each other's presence.


End file.
